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Jeffrey Buttle, Pockar entering Skate Canada Hall of Fame

World champion Jeffrey Buttle and the late Brian Pockar are among the six new members headed into the Skate Canada Hall of Fame. Buttle was a three-time Canadian champion.

The Canadian Press · November 15, 2012

Canada's Jeffrey Buttle is seen here competing in the men's free skate at the 2008 world figure skating championships in Sweden, where he won a gold medal. (Paul Chiasson/Canadian Press)

World champion Jeffrey Buttle and the late Brian Pockar are among the six new members headed into the Skate Canada Hall of Fame.

Buttle and Pockar will be recognized in the athlete category, the late John Knebli and Norman Scott in the builder discipline and Kerry Leitch and Lori Nichol will be honoured as professionals.

The 30-year-old Buttle, from Sudbury, Ont., began competing on the international stage in 1997 and went on to win bronze at the 2006 Olympics and gold at the 2008 world championships. He was also a three-time Canadian champion.

Pockar, a Calgary native, died in April of 1992 at the age of 32. He was the 1982 world bronze medallist, a three-time Canadian champion and member of the 1980 Olympic Team.

Knebli, who died in 1997 in Toronto at the age of 92, began his career as a master craftsman in orthopedic shoemaking and went on to become one of the sport's top skate makers.

Scott was a Canadian champion and then after retiring became secretary treasurer and a board member of the Amateur Skating Association of Canada. He then became a judge and in 1932 he became the first Canadian appointed to the world figure skating championships.

The 71-year-old Leitch, a native of Waterloo, Ont., became a coach after retiring from skating, and went on to coach 23 Canadian champions.

The 49-year-old Nichol, from London, Ont., is a one of the sport's most coveted choreographers. Among her signature programs were Jamie Sale and David Pelletier's "Love Story" program in 2002, Joannie Rochette's 2010 free program to "Samson and Delilah," and Patrick Chan's programs from the 2011 season.